Polysaccharides and bacterial plugging. [Progress report], October 1--December 31, 1992

The objectives of this research are to elucidate and model bacterial transport in porous media, to determine the importance of polysaccharides bridging as a retentive mechanism, and to identify key parameters that influence porous media plugging. A continuum core plugging model is being development. This model will include the resulting cell, polysaccharide, and nutrient profiles as growth occurs with time. Initial cell profiles were found to be needed for the model. Experiments and a cell retainment model has been completed to predict cell profiles for a high permeability cores. The continuum model starts with applying a mass balance to an elemental volume of porous media and makes the assumptions that: cells once deposited remain sessile; polymer and enzyme remain in location of cells; neglect dispersion and diffusion in model; neglect yeast extract balance, and neglect changes in the interstitial velocity